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Tuesday, 10 January 2017

Elon Musk Takes Customer Complaint on Twitter From Idea to Execution in 6 Days

But last month, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk provided a master class in how to use social media effectively. When a Tesla owner complained about fellow consumers hogging spots at a local charging station, Musk took the feedback seriously.

"I was recently driving to a meeting in Silicon Valley and had to charge my Tesla. I decided to stop at the San Carlos supercharger on my way to Palo Alto and there were 5 other Tesla cars waiting in line to get a charging space. Most drivers seemed to have gone somewhere else as their cars were charging. The San Carlos supercharger is located within walking distance from Whole Foods, Peet's Coffee, a gym and some restaurants. Many drivers therefore keep their cars parked at the supercharger even once their cars have finished charging.

"We designed the Supercharger network to enable a seamless, enjoyable road trip experience. Therefore, we understand that it can be frustrating to arrive at a station only to discover fully charged Tesla cars occupying all the spots. To create a better experience for all owners, we're introducing a fleet-wide idle fee that aims to increase Supercharger availability."

The announcement reminded Tesla owners that the company's app will alert them once their car's charge is nearly complete, adding: "For every additional minute a car remains connected to the Supercharger, it will incur a $0.40 idle fee." (The fee is waived if the car is moved within five minutes.)

[Update: As news site Electrek noted, a line for "idle fees" was found in the updated code of Tesla's webpage some months ago, indicating a change might be coming. But this doesn't change any of the following lessons.]

Learning From Mr. Musk

Exactly how Musk can manage this type of response while running multiple companies is hard for many to understand.

But a quick look at his Twitter feed reveals the man knows how to use the platform. He regularly responds to customer questions and complaints. He shares big ideas, like his recent epiphany regarding how to improve traffic problems in the U.S. ("Boring, it's what we do." You've gotta love that.)

And he does it all while allowing his personality and humor to shine through.

This type of communication contributes to what people love about Musk, and what they value in leaders today: authenticity. Not only does Musk say he values customer feedback--he hops on Twitter to prove it.

Social media can be great for marketing. But it's much more valuable as a learning tool: Feedback--whether it comes from customers, colleagues, or critics--can give you much needed perspective and motivation.

So, ask not what your Twitter followers can do for you. Ask what you can do for your Twitter followers.